178 Seconds to live - Spatial Disorientation

Safety Seminar Video on Spatial Disorientation.

• Category

  Education

[CamaRO9923]

This is a great video and I "never want to say never" but I can't see how a competent pilot can get into this problem.

I saw this video before I had my instrument rating and now that I do have my rating and actual IMC time.. I still don't see how it can happen. It's basic common sense and knowledge: Ignore your body, trust your instruments.

[debiassi]

I bet you did that in clear and stable air eh? completely different when your trying to focus on something that isnt there and you add natural anxiety of not seeing what makes you feel comfortable. Please for your sake dont be fooled by comparing closed eyes to loss of outside visibility and adverse weather factors in the clouds.

[terdferg231]

Been flying commercially for 5 years. I can easily say that any pilot/person can be overcome by spatial disorientation. I had so bad in training once I couldn't even focus on the instruments, which is what the FAA says to do. Long exposure to IMC without an autopilot in turbulent condition is very dangerous and should be treated as such.

[skinny3715]

What the hell are you talking about

[TrollerCoasterRide]

The problem is... there are not enough competent people out there to do so.

[navajopa31]

Look up Vertigo. It can happen to expierenced IFR pilots. You really have to over ride it. Leaving your strobe lights on in clouds at night can bring it on. So can quinine as in tonic water. You are a business man who got up a 6 a.m. Flew two hours for a meeting that will be over at 3. The meeting ran long and you take off at 5:30 p.m. in the dark. The weather is a little worse than forecast. You are tired and thinking about your business. All of a suden you flying partial panel.

[navajopa31]

navajopa31 cont. Have a spare quality flashlight, spare batteries and a spare bulb. Turn the batteries around so they cannot run down if the flashlight is accidently turn on during the day. I took a single pilot IFR Part 135 check ride with the FAA and to demostrate partial panel the check pilot took away or blocked my guages. I lost flight director, art. horizon, airspeed indicator, 1 nav., and the adf. Shot a ILS to minimums on 1 engine. It can be done. You have to work and practice to do it.

[navajopa31]

Retired 10,000 hour general aviation pilot with 1108 hours IFR! First: the reason they put rudder pedals on the airplane is so YOU CAN TURN AROUND when you fly VFR into IFR conditions. Second: An IFR ticket is a license to learn. Third: If you do not believe your instruments you will DIE. Every IFR pilot should practice with partial panel with a hood and a flashlight between his legs at night. It makes a big difference. Every night IFR flight I took I had a flashlight between my legs ready.

[andywright1]

BELIEVE YOUR INSTRUMENTS!

[Rikki0]

I did this today with my instructor. He would not let me look at my instruments and made me read him the check list while doing a left turn. Wound up in the classic death spiral. Everything seemed normal except for the screaming engine, plane shaking, and the wind howling (he never let us exceed maximums). Recovered quickly when he let me look at instruments. His point was " If you don't trust your instruments, it's the same as not seeing them". TRUST YOUR AI !!!!!!!!!!

[debiassi]

Its a natural feeling to trus what your body tells you and thats why so many pilots lose their lives due to this phenomenon. I would urge you to steer clear of cloud unless you are suitably and legally qualified to fly in them. Of course it is illegal to fly not only in cloud but even close to cloud without the relevant rating so that sort of points to the hazards that can be present. Safe flying